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SN 22.5PTS SN 3.131 min read

Development of Immersion

Samādhisutta

A mendicant should develop immersion (samādhi) in order to truly understand the origin and ending of the five aggregates.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.5Linked Discourses 22.5
  • 0.21. Nakulapituvagga1. Nakula’s Father

0.3SamādhisuttaDevelopment of Immersion

1.1PTS 3.14Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2…pe… sāvatthiyaṁ …At Sāvatthī.

1.3tatra kho …pe… etadavoca:

1.4“samādhiṁ, bhikkhave, bhāvetha;“Mendicants, develop immersion.11.5samāhito, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.A mendicant who has immersion truly understands.1.6Kiñca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti?What do they truly understand?1.7Rūpassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, vedanāya samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, saññāya samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, saṅkhārānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca, viññāṇassa samudayañca atthaṅgamañca.The origin and ending of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

2.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, rūpassa samudayo, ko vedanāya samudayo, ko saññāya samudayo, ko saṅkhārānaṁ samudayo, ko viññāṇassa samudayo?And what is the origin of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness?2.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.It’s when a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging.

3.1Kiñca abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati?What do they approve, welcome, and keep clinging to?3.2Rūpaṁ abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to form.3.3Tassa rūpaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.This gives rise to relishing.23.4Yā rūpe nandī tadupādānaṁ.Relishing forms is grasping.3.5Tassupādānapaccayā bhavo;Their grasping is a requirement for continued existence.3.6bhavapaccayā jāti;Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth.3.7jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti.Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be.3.8Evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

4.1Vedanaṁ abhinandati …pe…They approve, welcome, and keep clinging to feeling …4.2saññaṁ abhinandati …perception …4.3saṅkhāre abhinandati …choices …4.4viññāṇaṁ abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.consciousness.4.5Tassa viññāṇaṁ abhinandato abhivadato ajjhosāya tiṭṭhato uppajjati nandī.This gives rise to relishing.4.6Yā viññāṇe nandī tadupādānaṁ.Relishing consciousness is grasping.4.7Tassupādānapaccayā bhavo;Their grasping is a requirement for continued existence.4.8bhavapaccayā jāti;Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth.4.9jātipaccayā …pe…Rebirth is a condition that gives rise to old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.4.10evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

5.1Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpassa samudayo;This is the origin of form,5.2ayaṁ vedanāya samudayo;feeling,5.3ayaṁ saññāya samudayo;perception,5.4ayaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ samudayo;choices,5.5ayaṁ viññāṇassa samudayo.and consciousness.

6.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, rūpassa atthaṅgamo, ko vedanāya …And what is the ending of form, feeling,6.2ko saññāya …perception,6.3ko saṅkhārānaṁ …choices,6.4ko viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo?and consciousness?

7.1Idha, bhikkhave, nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.It’s when a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging.

8.1Kiñca nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati?What don’t they approve, welcome, or keep clinging to?8.2Rūpaṁ nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to form.8.3Tassa rūpaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato yā rūpe nandī sā nirujjhati.As a result, relishing of form ceases.8.4Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho;When that relishing ceases, grasping ceases.8.5upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho …pe…When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases. …8.6evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

9.1PTS 3.15Vedanaṁ nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.They don’t approve, welcome, or keep clinging to feeling …9.2Tassa vedanaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato yā vedanāya nandī sā nirujjhati.9.3Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho;9.4upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho …pe…9.5evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.10.1Saññaṁ nābhinandati …pe…perception …10.2saṅkhāre nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.choices …10.3Tassa saṅkhāre anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato yā saṅkhāresu nandī sā nirujjhati.10.4Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho;10.5upādānanirodhā bhavanirodho …pe…10.6evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.11.1Viññāṇaṁ nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati.consciousness.11.2Tassa viññāṇaṁ anabhinandato anabhivadato anajjhosāya tiṭṭhato yā viññāṇe nandī sā nirujjhati.As a result, relishing of consciousness ceases.11.3Tassa nandīnirodhā upādānanirodho …pe…When that relishing ceases, grasping ceases. …11.4evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.

12.1Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, rūpassa atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ vedanāya atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ saññāya atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ saṅkhārānaṁ atthaṅgamo, ayaṁ viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo”ti.This is the ending of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.”

12.2Pañcamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Mendicants are similarly enjoined to develop immersion (samādhi) in order to understand the six senses (SN 35.99, SN 35.160) and the four noble truths (SN 56.1).

    ↩ sn22.5:1.4
  2. “Relishing” (nandī) is a synonym of “craving” (taṇhā). Here it serves to show how the five aggregates participate in the process of generating one life after the next as depicted in dependent origination. Normally, craving in dependent origination is stimulated by the six senses.

    ↩ sn22.5:3.3